Wire spring structure for seat and back constructions



Feb. 22, 1949. w. H. NEELY n AL 2,462,539

WIRE SPRING STRUCTURE FOR SEAT AND BACK CONSTRUCTIONS Filed April l5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y 7=7E`2 T758 4 l? Y* y j l? `15 w8 M4 /6 j 11 O 12 WILLIHH H. NE'ELY Feb. 22, 1949. w. H.'NEELY ET AL 2,462,539

WIRE SPRING STRUCTURE FOR SEAT AND y BACK GONSTRUCTIONS Filed April 13, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A INVENTOR. wia/m1 H- NssLY BY svewu G- B4 urrmsnnzzr Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE WIRE SPRING STRUCTURE FOR SEA'.`Il` AND BACK CONSTRUCTIONS William H. Neely,

Cleveland, and Svend G.

Application April 13, 1945, Serial No. 588,146

This invention is a continuation in part of our pending application Ser. No. 437,550 led April 3, 1942, which has become Patent No. 2,373,775 on April 17J 1945, and relates in general to wire spring constructions for cushioned seat and back structures in vehicles and the like, and more particularly to spring constructions embodying individual spring elements interconnected with each other to form a readily yielding spring unit.

The general object of the present invention is the provision of a simplified spring unit of the type referred to above, which unit embodies overlapping short zigzag-shaped corrugated wire springs including substantially parallel top and bottom portions and inclined supporting and 'spacing portions interconnecting said top and bottom portions, and which unit provides a spring structure with substantially parallel yielding top and bottom surfaces yieldingly spaced from each other by the inclined yielding supporting and spacing portions of the springs.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a spring unit assembled from springs of the type referred to above, in which some of the springs have their top and bottom portions arranged adjacent to each other and pivotally connected with each other and in which other springs have their top and bottom portions overlapped and connected to each other at spaced points to stiien the top and bottom portions of the spring unit in predetermined areas and increase the load resistance in these areas.

In addition, the invention has certain other marked superiorities which radically distinguish it from presently known structures. These improvements or superiorities embodying certain novel features of construction are clearly set forth in the following specication and the appended claims; and several preferred forms of embodiment of the invention are hereinafter shown with reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of the specication.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a front seat structure of a military car embodying a spring seat structure constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the wire springs used in the assembly of the spring seat structure shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the other one of the wire springs used in the assembly of the spring seat structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the assembled sprin seat structure;

5 Claims. (Cl. 155-179) Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. A.; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 5 with the spring seat structure preten-sioned and covered with a layer of felt;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5 showing a somewhat modied form of spring seat structure in which some of the springs have their top or bottom portions secured to each other in overlapping relation;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 7 in which the spring seat structure is assembled from springs, the top and bottom portions of which are yieldingly spaced from each other by V- shaped spacing and supporting means;

Fig. 9 is a side View of one of the springs used in the assembly of the spring seat structure shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 i-s a side view of another one of the springs used in the assembly of the spring seat structure shown in Fig. 8; Y

Fig. 1l is a sectional View similar to Fig. 7 in which the spring seat structure is assembled from substantially U-shaped springs. each of which has its web portion inclined with respect to the top and bottom portions of the spring to provide an inclined spacing and supporting portion between said top and bottom portions;

Fig. 12 is a side View of one of the springs used in the assembly of the spring seat structure shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a side view of another one of the springs u'sed in the assembly of the spring seat structure shown in Fig. l1; and

Fig. 14 is a side View of still another one of the springs used in the assembly of the spring seat structure shown in Fig. 11.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the frame structure 2 of a front seat of a military car. This frame structure which embodies a seat portion 3 and a back rest 4 supports and mounts spring structures 8 and 9 of substantially the same -construction which are preferably covered with felt, as will be later described. Seat structure 8 embodies Z-shaped corrugated wire springs II and I2 of steel wire bent to sinuous shape so that theil` loops I4 extend in substantially parallel relationship'with respect to each other. The wire springs Il include parallel top and bottom portions I5 and lli of a length of two loops M, which portions are integrally interconnected with each other by inclined corrugated spacer and supporting por-V tions ll of a length of two loops Ill. Springs Il are formed to Z-shape by twisting -a corrugated.

.end loops 21.

length, one of said portions having a length of.A Vfour loops I4 and the other one a length of two of such loops, that is a length equal to the length of the inclined corrugated spacer and supporting portions 2| of springs l2. This arrangement permits of different distribution of spacer and'supporting portions in spring structures by combining springs I I and i2 in any desirable manner,Y as will best be understood from inspection of Figs. 4 through 6, showing a spring unit in which the spacer and supporting portions Il and 2l are differently spaced from each other at the front and;'rear of. theunit.

Springs lI and I2 are placed in alignment to form a'- plurality of elongated spring rows 22 which arelaterallyspaced from each other and extend from the iront to the rear oi spring strncture 8: When" so-placed, the'springs have the free` ends of their top portions I5 and i3, respectively, rested uponthe upper ends of inclined spacer and supportingportions i7 and 2i of adjacent springs, an arrangement which insures' proper' load resistance of the supporting surface' of spring structure 8. Springs II and I2, and the springrows 22 formed therefrom, are connected with each other and locked against lateral movement with'respect to each other by elongated wire spirals 23 which encircle the overlapping portions of adjoining springs and extend across all spring rows 2v2. These spiral wires have apitch proportionated to the shape and-dimension of the corrugations of the springs and connect the top and bottom portions of all springs and springrowsto a spring unit which, preferably, is encircled by wire spirals 24' threaded upon the front and sides oi the springs adjacent to the` edges of spring structure 8 to provide same with'top and ibottom edge wires 25 and-.26; Interlocking of the springs with wire spirals23 and24-isfacilitated by partly closed The springs II and I2 in spring rovvsY 22 of ther spring structureV 8 control the load resistance of such structure,v theront part of which has lower load resistance than its rear part, as spring rows 22 include at their front portions two invertedlyarranged springs I2 and as the rear portions of vsuc'hrows are assembled from springs II, th'e'short, equallysized topand bottom portions I5 and I6 of which bringabout a larger number of supporting and' spacing portions in the rear portions'of the 'rowsf22. Spring-structure 8' isv preferably coveredwith alayerof felt 29 held in position yby'a burlap or similarl lining 39 which issewe'd to felt 29-at 3|.

Spring seat structures of the type disclosed in` FigsAfthrough 6 include a1 pivotal connectionon theindividualsprings and therefore readily shape themselves to the iormoi their supporting members.v These spring seat structures thereforeare particularly suited for cushion constructions supported either on solid panels or a base spring construction:

Springv seat structures ofv thistype may alsoreadilyfbeadapted for use-in present -day Vspringseat :constructions in; which the `spring constructitn'isffar-edirectlyd mounted on open. frame vstruc` ttireai Initbisz.` case; the springV seat structure.Y

has the bottom portions of adjoining springs overlapped and secured to each other at spaced points to prevent pivotal movement between the springs and form a spring seat structure with resilient supporting members including the bottom portion of. some or all. of the individual springs of the spring seat construction.

The above described overlapping of portions of the individual springs assembled to a spring seat structure may be applied to the bottom portions and/or the top portions of the springs and permits construction of spring seat structures with predetermined load carrying capacity and predetermined 'localized load resistance in the seating surfaces of the spring seat structure.

Springseat structures of this latter type are disclosed in Figs. 7 through 14, showing different types of individual springs assembled to spring seat structures in which top and/or bottom portions of adjoining springs are secured to each other in overlapping relation with respect to each other.

The spring seat structure shown in Fig. 7 is assembled from Z-shaped springs 32, 33 and 34. Springs 32 are identical with springs I I, see Fig. 2, springs 33 include bottom portions Sii one coil longer than their top portions 35, and springs' 3@ have equal top andbottom portions 31, 38 connected by spacing and supporting member 39 equal in length to the spacing. and supporting members a@ and 4I of springs 32 and 33 and shorter than said top and. botton portions.

The thus described springs 32, 33 and 34 are connected with each other by elongated wire spirals e2 which pivotally couple springs 32l with each other and couple springs 32 and 33, and springs 33 and 33 at spaced points, so that springs 32 and 33 and springs 33 and 34 are substantially rigidly connectedY with each other. A thus constructed spring seat structure embodies in its top and/ or bottom portions reenforced areas arranged in predetermined locations and may be provided with reenforced bottom portions throughout to permit mounting` of the spring seat structure on open. frame constructions.

The spring seat structure disclosed in Fig. 8 is similar to the structure of Fig. '7 and assembled from springs A3, M and-45 with substantially parallel top and bottom portions connected by V-shaped spacing and supporting members 46. Spring seat structures assembled from this latter type of springs have more depth vand are generally used for furniture construction.

The spring seaty structure shown in Fig. 11 is assembled from substantially U'shaped springs. lll', i3 and 49 with web portions 50, 5I, 52 inclined with respect to the adjoining spring. portions. When assembled to aspring` structurethe web portions of these substantially U-shaped springs form inclined spacingand. supporting` members between the top andbottom portions. 53-and 54A of the spring structure. Preferably, as shown the flange portion of the substantially U-shapedA springs slightly divergerfrompach. otherv to permit overlapping of the,springswhen-assembledv to a spring structurel and secured to eachl other. by elongated wire spirals.

Having thus vdescribed our invention, whatwe claim is:

1. A wire spring constructionincludinga plurality of sinuouslyV corrugated wireY springs having'substantially parallel top andibottomy porr tions and inclined spacingt andsupportingpoltions connected.. with said. top.A and.. bottom p0rtions, said springs being assembleddnmows...and

some of the springs of said rows having their parallel portions overlapping each other a full loop of their corrugations and the overlapping' portions secured to each other at spaced points to provide a spring structure with stiffened parallel portions yieldingly spa-ced from each other by the spacing and supporting members of said springs.

2. A wire spring construction as described in claim l, wherein the Wire springs have their top and bottom portions connected by V-shaped supporting and spacing portions integrally extended from said top and bottom portions.

3. A wire spring construction as described in claim 1, wherein the wire springs include top and bottom portions connected at one side by inclined web portions so that these web portions form inclined supporting and spacing portions connecting and spacing the substantially parallel top and bottom portions of the spring structure.

4. A wire spring construction including a plurality of wire springs shaped from sinuously corrugated wire bent to form springs with substantially parallel top and bottom portions and inclined spacing and supporting portions connecting and spacing said top and bottom portions, said springs being assembled in rows and the bottom portions of said springs overlapping each other a full loop of their corrugations, and means securing said overlapping portions at spaced points to each other to provide an elongated 6 spring structure with a substantially stiifened base member.

5. A wire spring construction including a plurality of wire springs shaped from sinuously corrugated wire bent to form springs with substantially parallel top and bottom portions spaced from each other by resilient spacing and support ing portions, said springs being aligned in rows in which the top portions of the springs are arranged adjacent to each other and pvotally connected with each other, and said springs having elongated bottom portions arranged in said rows so as to overlap each other a full loop of their corugations, and means securing said overlapping portions at spaced points to each other to provide a spring construction with a soft, readily yielding top member and a beam-like, less yielding bottom member.

WILLIAM H. NEELY. SVEND G. BLUMENSAADT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 593,739 Crowley Nov. 16, 1897 2,341,015 Blumensaadt Feb. 8, 1944 2,373,775 Neely et al. Apr. 17, 1945 

